4 Punjab ministers ask Congress high command to 'rein in' Sidhu: Reports

Lack of a united face in the Punjab Congress may hurt the party, they said

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R  The issue of factionalism in the Punjab Congress unit came into sharp relief on Tuesday when four ministers in the state—Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa, ministers Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Raja Warring and Pargat Singh—met AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal in the national capital. The four ministers raised the issue of announcements made by state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu during public functions in the state. The Indian Express reported that the delegation highlighted the need to rein Sidhu in, or the party might end up paying a heavy electoral price in the forthcoming polls. Dainik Bhaskar, in its reportage, claimed that minister Ashu came out openly against Sidhu, while Randhawa stated that Charanjit Singh Channi was the party's chief ministerial face.

Factionalism and infighting in the state unit of the Congress have come to the fore in the recent past. The lack of unity in the Punjab Congress may hurt the party, the leaders reportedly told Venugopal.

On Monday, the internal feud had come out in the open when Randhawa said that he was ready to give up his home portfolio if Sidhu waned it for himself. The statement came as Sidhu has been questioning his party's government in the state for not being able to arrest Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia, who has been booked in a drug case under the NDPS Act. "If my brother [Sidhu] says that he wants the home ministry, then I will immediately put it at his feet," said Randhawa while talking to reporters. "Ever since he became the home minister, Sidhu has been upset with me," added Randhawa.

The Congress, on Tuesday, had held the first meeting of its screening committee for the upcoming Punjab polls, and is reported to have finalised around 70 candidates for polls. Top Congress leaders of the state attended the meeting, which was chaired by party general secretary Ajay Maken. While Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was not present as he had a Cabinet meeting in Chandigarh, the committee members held a telephonic conversation with him. The panel will again meet on Wednesday and finalise the first list of Congress candidates for the polls.